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Virginia Caroline Rappe was born in Chicago, Illinois to an unwed mother, Mabel Rappe, who died when she was 11. Virginia was then raised by her grandmother in Chicago.[1][2] At age 14, she began working as a commercial and art model.[3]

In 1916, Rappe relocated to San Francisco to pursue her career as an artist's model, where she met dress designer Robert Moscovitz, to whom she became engaged. However, shortly after the engagement, Moscovitz was killed in a streetcar accident, whereupon Rappe moved to Los Angeles. In early 1917, she was hired by director Fred Balshofer and given a prominent role in his film Paradise Garden, opposite popular screen star Harold Lockwood. Balshofer then hired her again to costar with early drag performer Julian Eltinge and newcomer Rudolph Valentino in Over the Rhine, for which she was awarded the title of "Best Dressed Girl in Pictures".[3] This film was not released until 1920, when Balshofer recut it and released it under the title An Adventuress, and later in 1922 as The Isle of Love.

In 1919, Rappe began a relationship with director/producer Henry Lehrman. The two eventually became engaged and lived together, although in the United States Census of 1920, the young actress is listed simply as a "Boarder" in Lehrman's home in Los Angeles.[4] Rappe appeared in at least four films for Lehrman: His Musical Sneeze, A Twilight Baby, Punch of the Irish and A Game Lady. However, since many of Lehrman's films are lost, the exact number of roles she performed for him cannot be determined.

Rumors arose, supposedly to besmirch her character, that Rappe had given birth to a child in Chicago in 1918, and that the child was given to foster care. These rumors were proven false by autopsy.[7]

Grave of Virginia Rappe at Hollywood Forever Cemetery

The exact events of that party are still unclear, with witnesses relating numerous versions of what happened. It was alleged that Rappe had died as a result of a violent sexual assault by Arbuckle. Arbuckle's accuser, Maude Delmont, had accompanied Rappe to the party; she had first met Rappe only a few days earlier.[8] Subsequent witnesses testified that Rappe had for some time suffered from cystitis, and that consuming alcohol could aggravate that condition.[9] Witnesses also testified that she had previously suffered from venereal disease, so there were allegations that her death was brought on by her health rather than by an assault.[10]

After three manslaughter trials, Arbuckle was formally acquitted; his acquittal in the third trial was accompanied by an unprecedented statement of apology from the jury stating, in part, that, "Acquittal is not enough for Roscoe Arbuckle. We feel that a great injustice has been done him… there was not the slightest proof adduced to connect him in any way with the commission of a crime."[11] Arbuckle's reputation and career were nevertheless ruined by the scandal.

The case has been examined by scholars and historians over the years and is still speculated about today, and a number of detailed books about the case have analyzed the incident and subsequent trials.